Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome back to Exploring America. State by state after the chocolate towns and Amish farmland of Pennsylvania, today we're heading into Maryland, a state so compact you can drive from mountains to ocean in a single afternoon. Maryland is known as the Old Line State, a nickname earned from a Revolutionary War regiment whose bravery held the line long enough to save George Washington's army during a critical retreat. Today, the state is better known for something a little different blue crabs pulled straight from the Chesapeake Bay, sailors in Annapolis, and a stretch of Atlantic coastline that fills up every summer with beach towels and boardwalk fries. Maryland manages to pack sailing towns, mountain forests and big city harbor energy into one surprisingly small footprint. And that variety is exactly what makes it worth slowing down for. Rather than just passing through on the highway, the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway winds along the Eastern shore, passing marshes, small fishing towns and long stretches of open water where the bay seems to stretch all the way to the horizon. Out west, Garrett County's mountain roads climb through Appalachian forest around Deep Creek Lake with fall color that genuinely rivals anywhere in the Northeast. The Antietam Campaign Byway traces Civil War history through rolling farmland in western Maryland, Canadian connecting several key battle sites along quiet country roads lined with old stone fences. And Route 50, heading toward Ocean City takes you across the dramatic Chesapeake Bay Bridge, a genuinely thrilling four mile span with water stretching out on both sides as far as you can see. Assateague island is home to wild horses that roam the dunes completely undisturbed, a genuinely surreal sight against the backdrop of empty Atlantic beaches and seagrass.
[00:01:50] Berlin, a small Eastern Shore town once named America's Coolest Small town, has a walkable historic main street full of local shops that most travelers zip right past on their way to the coast. Deep Creek Lake offers mountain scenery and water recreation that feels nothing like the rest of Maryland most people picture in their heads. And Smith island, reachable only by boat, is one of the last traditional Chesapeake watermen communities left with a way of life that has barely changed in generations of families working the water. Baltimore's Inner harbor anchors the city with aquariums, historic ships and a lively waterfront promenade perfect for an evening stroll after dinner. Fort McHenry, the actual site that inspired the Star Spangled Banner, sits right on the water with commanding harbor views and genuine goosebump inducing history behind every plaque. The United States Naval Academy in Annapolis offers guided tours through one of the most beautiful campuses in the country, with midshipmen marching between classes in crisp white uniforms.
[00:02:53] Ocean City's Three Mile Boardwalk delivers classic beach town energy, arcades and fries covered in Old Bay seasoning at nearly every stand.
[00:03:03] And Camden Yards in Baltimore remains one of the most beloved ballparks in Major League Baseball, credited with sparking the whole retro ballpark design trend seen across the country today.
[00:03:14] A few things worth knowing before you Restaurants directly on Baltimore's Inner harbor tend to charge premium prices for food that's often better and cheaper just a few blocks inland from the water. In Ocean City, boardwalk crab houses catering purely to tourists sometimes charge steep markups for mediocre crab. So ask a local where the watermen themselves actually eat when they want the real thing. And boardwalk arcade games, much like anywhere else along the coast, are built to look easier than they really are. So treat them as entertainment rather than a real chance at winning something big. Maryland is easy to cross by RV, thanks to i95 running through the busy central corridor and i68 offering a quieter, scenic route through the western mountains. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge does get seriously congested on summer weekends heading toward Ocean City, so traveling midweek or very early in the morning saves real time and stress.
[00:04:09] Western Maryland's mountain roads are wide and comfortable for larger rigs, while Baltimore and Annapolis both have tighter city streets better suited to parking outside downtown and taking local transit in for paid camping. Assateague Island National Seashore offers oceanfront campsites right on the beach, a rare and unforgettable spot to wake up in an RV with the surf just steps away from your door. Cunningham Falls State park in the western Mountains offers a well shaded, quieter campground near its namesake waterfall, popular with hikers and families alike for free or low cost camping. Savage River State Forest allows dispersed camping across large sections of public forest land in western Maryland, one of the more generous free options in the region, though specific rules and permits should be confirmed ahead of time before you arrive. Ocean City's boardwalk hotels put you steps from the beach and the Arcade Energy, a classic family vacation setup that hasn't changed much in decades and still delivers every summer. Annapolis offers waterfront inns within walking distance of the Naval Academy and the historic downtown, perfect for soaking in the sailing town atmosphere at a slower pace.
[00:05:20] And Deep Creek Lake has a growing collection of lakeside cabins and resorts popular for both summer water sports and winter skiing at the nearby slopes. Just up the road, the Mark train connects Baltimore and Washington, D.C. with commuter rail service, making a car free day trip between the two cities genuinely simple and affordable. Baltimore's light rail and water taxi network make getting around the harbor area easy without needing a car at all during your stay, and BWI Airport conveniently positioned between Baltimore and D.C. serves as a major regional hub for anyone flying in to start their Maryland road trip from out of state. Maryland's food identity begins and ends with the blue crab. A proper Maryland crab cake packed with lump crab meat and light on filler is worth seeking out at a real crab house rather than a tourist strip near the boardwalk. Old Bay seasoning shows up on everything from fries to popcorn. Practically a state symbol in spice form at this point, pit beef sandwiches, slow roasted and thinly sliced, are a beloved Baltimore specialty you won't find quite the same way anywhere else in the country. Ann Smith Island Cake, Maryland's official state dessert, stacks eight or more impossibly thin layers of cake with frosting in between, a genuine labor of love from the island's traditional bakers passed down through generations. Head out on a chartered crabbing trip on the Chesapeake Bay and pull your own dinner straight from the water with your own two hands.
[00:06:50] Take a beginner sailing lesson in Annapolis, one of the great sailing towns in the country, and get a real feel for why the city calls itself America's sailing capital. Watch the wild ponies of Assateague island, graze the dunes at sunrise, when the beach is quiet and mostly yours to enjoy, and catch the sunset over Fort McHenry, watching the flag against the harbor sky in the exact spot that inspired the national anthem generations ago.
[00:07:17] Summer means peak crab season, with the best and most abundant catches typically running from late spring through early fall across the bay. Ocean City gets extremely busy on summer weekends, so booking accommodations well ahead of July and August is essential if you want a good spot, and crossing the Bay Bridge toward the coast is best done early on weekday mornings, well before the weekend backups that build steadily through the afternoon.
[00:07:43] Ocean City and the Annapolis waterfront run a bit higher in summer, especially for lodging, but you can eat well at real crab houses and diners for a reasonable price if you avoid the boardwalk strip entirely. Western Maryland is dramatically more affordable, with camping often running 25 to $40 a night and hearty meals well under $15 a plate. Balancing a coastal stretch with a western mountain stretch keeps your overall trip cost very manageable from start to finish.
[00:08:11] Cell coverage is Strong along the I95 corridor, Baltimore and Annapolis, with reliable signal for navigation and streaming in most populated areas of the state. Coverage drops noticeably out in the western mountains and on the more remote parts of the Eastern Shore, so download offline maps before heading into those quieter, more rural regions. That's Maryland, a state holding mountain forests, sailing harbors and wild horse beaches all inside one surprisingly compact stretch of coastline.
[00:08:42] Next time, we're heading into Washington, D.C. the nation's capital, where monuments, museums and centuries of American history sit within walking distance of each other. Pack the cooler, and I'll see you there.
